Kristaps Porzingis leaves Nike, signs huge new deal

New York Knicks rising star Kristaps Porzingis has officially made the jump to Adidas, signing a multiyear deal which will pay the 21-year-old forward between $3 million and $6 million a year according to Nick DePaula of The Vertical.

Porzingis spent his rookie campaign represented by Nike, who paid him $25,000 last season, but were unwilling to match the hefty offer from Adidas, letting the 7’3″ phenom flee to the rival company. Porzingis relayed his excitement in the press release from Adidas:

I’m happy to be here and it just felt right to be with Adidas. There’s a lot of excitement right now, and I feel like it’s the right fit for me. A city like New York is hungry for success in basketball, and I believe Adidas will help take my game to the next level. I’m a unique player and Adidas is a unique brand. I’m just excited to join the family.

Kristaps Porzingis

The new contract for Porzingis will last for 7 years and will place him alongside new teammate and fellow Adidas star Derrick Rose, as well as James Harden, Damian Lilliard, and fellow youngster Andrew Wiggins.

Porzingis and Wiggins will be co-headlining the new Crazy Explosive model from Adidas, with Porzingis getting his own New York Knicks themed color ways.

While Nike remains the top apparel and shoe company, the departure of Porzingis continues the trend of NBA stars choosing other options. Two-time reigning MVP Steph Curry famously left Nike for Under Amour after a Nike executive mispronounced his name, while James Harden left Nike for Adidas after Adidas gave him a monumental deal worth $200 million.

The New York Knicks second year star will look to build on an outstanding rookie season where he averaged 14.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game. Porzingis will debut the new Adidas kicks tonight in Cleveland as the Knicks will take on the defending champion Cavaliers on TNT at 7:30pm EST.